“That’s why this is really good news. All of a sudden these lakes that had this long industrial history are improving.” -- John Riley

MUSKEGON, MI -- Everyone knows that fish are good for you, but the fish in two local lakes just got better.

Muskegon residents Mike Fielstra (left) and Nick Bont ice fish in a shanty on White Lake near Whitehall. Recent low temperatures have made conditions more favorable for ice fishing, though some fisherman have noted changes from day to day.Jon Garcia | MLive

The Michigan Office of the Great Lakes has announced that environmental cleanup operations had significantly reduced the level of pollutants in Muskegon Lake and White Lake.

While both sites are still listed as Areas of Concern (AOC) by federal authorities, as a result of the coastal restoration efforts, the Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI’s) for consuming fish and wildlife for both lakes have been removed.

What this means is that the fish in these two local lakes no longer contain concentrations of mercury, dioxins and PCBs -- a highly toxic chemical compound found in the filet portion of Michigan fish -- than fish in surrounding bodies of water.

“The cleanups we did 10 to 15 years ago, we’re starting to see results in the reduction in contamination levels in the bodies of the critters that live in those systems,” said John Riley, the AOC coordinator for the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes. “Finally the ecosystem is responding. That’s great news.”

Riley is excited that the many years of “really expensive” and extensive removal projects of polluted sediment at both lakes have paid off with decreased contaminant levels in the fish.

As studies were conducted to analyze edible fish content during the 15-year cleanup operations at both lakes, it was observed that the numbers of PCB’s were declining every year.

By comparing samples of the “edible portions” of largemouth bass and carp in Muskegon Lake and White Lake from 2006 with samples from 2011, scientists observed that the levels of mercury, dioxins and PCBs had fallen to levels that matched nearby Pentwater Lake.

Riley explained that Pentwater Lake was the ideal choice for a comparison study because it is a nearby inland lake with similar geography, but it does not have a history of industrial pollution.

“That’s why this is really good news,” Riley said. “All of a sudden these lakes that had this long industrial history are improving.”

He was quick to add that he did not “want to give the wrong impression” that due to the restrictions being lifted that it was safe to eat large amounts of fish since “there are still fish advisories” in place.

Nevertheless, the Great Lakes office still sees the steady decline of the level of pollutants in both these lakes as “a small success” because both bodies of water that were formerly sites the state was seriously concerned about are now comparable to the other lakes in the West Michigan area.

The Michigan Office of the Great Lakes sees these improvements as a sign that the day is fast approaching when the Muskegon Lake and White Lake will be taken off Michigan’s list of Areas of Concern.

According to Riley, mercury will remain a concern for fish eaters, because it is ubiquitous in fish no matter where it comes from -- one of the unfortunate results of contaminants released by coal-fired power plants throughout the world.

“It’s common to find mercury in fish tissue in water bodies throughout the state,” Riley said. “The thing is that there’s really great fishing in both those lakes, we know that. But be smart and consult the Eat Safe Fish Guide. It’s just important to be cognizant of the amount of fish you’re consuming from these systems – moderation in all things.”

He describes the Eat Safe Fish Guide as a “phenomenal” resource that’s contains the most current and up to date information from the State of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Community Health.

“One thing that I always like to tell people is that no matter where you fish in the state of Michigan, you need to consult the Eat Safe Fish Guide,” Riley said.

Riley admits that the issue of whether it was unsafe to eat fish from these lakes prior to the announcement that the special restrictions on fish consumption were being removed is a complicated one.

“So it’s not possible for us to directly compare fish consumption advisories for today with those from 10 years ago, because our science has improved and we’re better able to analyze fish tissue for a broader range of contaminants than we used to be able to,” Riley explained.

Bill Funk, the owner-operator of Shoreline Service Bait and Tackle in Muskegon, sees the removal of pollutants as a positive sign but doesn’t think it will change things that much for Lakeshore anglers.

Before the state released the current study, he estimates there were “anywhere from 300 to 800 fishermen on a daily basis” ice fishing on Muskegon Lake and close to that same amount on White Lake.

He is not convinced that the announcement will do much in the way of “giving a gigantic boost” to the local fishing industry, but said he was pleased that “our government is actually cleaning things up and making things better for us all.”

“I’m happy for the good news,” Funk said. “Lord knows we need more good news.”

Current advisories on fish consumption in the Muskegon area and for other lakes throughout the state are available at the Michigan Department of Community Health website.